Lubrication for rotary hydraulic swivels



Aug. 26, 1952 L. w. STAHL 2,608,385

LUBRICATION FOR ROTARY HYDRAULIC swIvELs Filed June 23, 1947' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Alg- 26, 1952 l.. w. STAHL.

LUBRICATIN FOR ROTARY HYDRAULIC SWIVELS 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Filed June 25, 1947 WSM Patented Aug. 26, 1952 $68,385 LUBRICATION FOR ROTARY HYDRAULIC? sWIvELs lesilfieI sjtehl; limieten, Tex.; essignefte 'luie Lum The invention leexemplied--lir a hydraiulief swiVefWlicli co`m"`p`ris`es` ai rotatable tubular stem lubricating meerfe'rerf the sealing 10J isjoiirnalled in a, main' thrust bearing H1; 'ijll e radial' bearing' I4 ef the entifrieren type; for rotatienlieazemg ls. A bonnet zo incl'ceesMeij` heee 22 which ferme' e" erasure fer' th'eftegpyeff eejeig' ls; The4k beniiet 'in4 irleiudeeegn anriulee 211A et ite'up'per end'. A goeseeek 26 heef er; eng nular erge 28 which is seemed by be1tsfz 1; te the'teper bonnet 2n sind is ecp/ported frere easing leby sidbxmet'. Fluid for' delivery te `thedrin' pipe; is" conducted tothe eireet portieri ef the eeeeeheek by the usuel exibl'e pipecieesiiewm' for deliveringweeh euid threugh the geoseeeel teetei lu 'and the drmpip'e, The geeserieel; ex# empuee'e e; nenrotatable element ef the swivel,r

endof tli'e rotaitble' stern,= are siie'ceolV apart )ier--1 ticsillyl and are communicatively connected; for

the o'w'of weish' fluidfrom` the gooseneck irito. l

theboef of stein lvnby'a. demountable tube Q I pibe section 38'. Demountableunitary packing assemblies-01j devices which include-settling ringsu are provided between the upper and lower ends o ftube 38 andfgooseneck 26 and stem lill-restituz-Av notigw he1dbet'ween geeeerieel gef end-stem I0 `and is freeto rotate with'tlie-rotateblepackf ingdevice ori the lowerl end` of-tube 38 whi-h is:

tributed. between the contacting;suiflficesofthe1 sealing rings whichare ofA Ilexible andabsorbent-f-` materiaLand seicl tube.- This construction ,alsof supports? the tube so it isY f-ree to position itself to' eornpensetey for any axial misalig'nmentfoffthe" elements,V and the tubeA while maintainingvv the-` uidf sealsw The twoy demounteiblef` packing dew vices containing the sealing rings, may be unitarily removed laterally, independently of the gooseneck and stem I0. The packing devices are provided with means for introducing lubricant between the contact surfaces of the tube and the sealing rings, for lubricating said contacting surfaces. These packing devices are alike in construction, so that they may be interchangeably and demountably attached to the non-rotatable gooseneck 26 and the stem ifi. These packing devices, when detached from the gooseneck 26`V and stem I6, respectively, are slidable together on the tube 33, so that the tube and packing de- Vices may be unitarily removed laterally from between the gooseneck and stem. For this purpose, the overall height of the packing devices when moved together on tube 38, is less than the space between gooseneck 26 and stem lil.

Each packing device consists of an unitaryl assembly which comprises a collar i0 which is provided with a screw thread fi! whereby it may bey demountably attached to the lower. end of gooseneck 26 or to the stern i5, which are provided with corresponding screw threads. collar 45 is provided with sockets 6.351 which are adapted to receive a bar for rotating the collar onto or oii the iluid conducting elements. A replaceable bushing 42 which is angular in crosssection, is seated against an annular shoulder 43 in the posterior end of each collar. An oil distributing ring 44 is seated against an internal annular shoulder i5 in collar All), and is secured against said shoulder by a gland 6 which is screw-threaded into collar dil. A sealing ring of Vflexible and absorbent packing material 49, is confined between ring 45 and bushing 42, and a similar sealing ring 56 is coniined between ring and gland 46. Bushings 52 and 53 are bored to leave clearance around tube 35, so that the sealing rings 49 and 50 will form the contacting surfaces between tube 38 and the packing devices.

As a result, tube 38 will contact adjacent its ends, mainly with the inner periphery of sealing rings 49 and 5i) so that the tube may remain stationary with the gooseneck 26 or rotate with stem I0, and so that the wear will be distributed to the contact surfaces between tube 38 and the sealing rings in both packing devices, and the tube will be free to position itself in the sealing rings'and compensate for axial misalignment of gooseneck 26 and stem `i while maintaining the fluid seals. A ring 34 of packing between bushing 32 and stem l5, forms a seal between stem l0 and the collar i6 of the lower packing device. A ring 35 of packing between bushing 33 and gooseneck 25, forms a seal between said gooseneck Vand the collar Ll of the upper packing device. Y

In the operation of these hydraulic swivels which include a floating tube, it is advantageous to keep the sealing rings well lubricated for preventing Wear. Radial ports l0 extend through each oil ring 44 and conduct lubricant from an annular space 69 in collar 4a, to a channel 'i2 around tube 38. Axial ports 'il in tube 35 have their ends communicatively connected to channels 'l2 in the upper and lower packing devices. From each channel l2 lubricant flows to the associated sealing rings 49 and 5Fl. Each ring 59 and 50 is provided With an annular groove 5l for spreading Y lubricant in the absorbent rings.

The invention provides for continuously supplying lubricant under pressure to the contacting surfaces between tube Vil and the sealing rings 49 and 56, from a supply of lubricant associated with the gooseneck 26 and also to provide the Each pressure for this purpose, by the wash fluid flowing through the gooseneck. Gooseneck 26 is integrally extended to provide a cylinder-casing 53 at both sides of the gooseneck. Cylinders 52 are formed in casing 53 which are communicatively connected to the bore of the gooseneck by ducts 65 which extend'crosswise of said cylinders, at one end thereof, for delivering wash fluid into said cylinders. Casing 53 is provided with cylinders 58 of lesser diameter than and axially aligned with, cylinders 52, respectively. Double pistons are slidably mounted in the coaxial cylinders 52, 58. Each piston comprises a member 54 fitting in one of the cylinders 52, a member 56 fitting in the axially aligned cylinder 58, and a connecting stem 55 between said members. Cylinders 58 are communicatively connected by a cross-duct 62 and function as a reservoir for a supply of lubricant. Piston-members 54 are exposed to the pressure of the wash-fluid passing from the gooseneck via ducts 66, into cylinders f 52, and piston-members 56 are slidable in cylinders 58 to force lubricant therefrom. The di-` ameter of piston members 54 is greater than the diameter of piston-members 56, to provide a greater piston area exposed to the pressureof the wash-fluid in cylinders 52, and a lesser area of piston-members exposed to the lubricant in cylinders 56, for producing a differentially great-` er pressure by piston-members 58 on the-lubricant, than the pressure of the fluid in cylinders 52 and the gooseneck. This produces pressure on the lubricant supplied to the packing devices in excess of the pressure of the wash-huid passing through the gooseneck 26 and'tube 35. This exemplifies means operable responsively to the pressure of the wash-fluid flowingvthrough the swivel, for forcing lubricant with ardifferentially greater pressure than the wash-duid from cylinders 58 to the partsl to be lubricated. Fittings Ela are secured in the heads ,-51 of casing 53 for lling the cylinders 58 with lubricant. Duct 62 communicatively connects cylinders 58 for the outflow of lubricant under the pressure exerted by pistons 56, to a needle valve 5 which is screwthreaded into onerend of casing 53 and meters the iiow of the lubricant through a chamber 66 to a pipe 6l which is connected to deliver lubricant to the upper packing device. Pipe 6l is connected by a union coupling 58 to the collar 40V I of the upper packing device which is connectedV to the gooseneck'26. Coupling S8 communicates with the annular channel 69 between'the oil Thev tube 3B and packing detion to the element 26.

55 for convenient connection to .pipe 61.

The operation of the lubricating system will be as follows: During the operation of the swivel,`

wash-fluid is being pumped through the gooseneck,v and some of said iluid will enter and iill chambers52 through duct il@ from gooseneck 26; and exert pressure upon the piston-members: 54.

having the greater area, which will shiftpistonmembers 56 having lesser area, to exerta greater pressure against the lubricantV in 'cylinders' 55.A

than that in the iiuid passing through the swivel. Valve 65 which is adjustable, meters the lubricant passing from chamber 466 t0 piperl and coupling 38 intoV the channel 59-in the upperV couplingcollar 4D. From channel 69,7the lubricant" passes around `ringlllll and through radial ports '10, into annular space or channel 12, and then to the sealingv rings 49 and v5i] in the upper coupling member, and constantly lubricates the contacting surfaces between tube 38 and said sealing rings. From channel 'l2 in the upper packing device, lubricant will also be forced into the upper ends of axial ports ll in tube 38. These axial ports li will conduct lubricant to the space or channel l2 in the lower packing device, so it will pass around said tube and be fed to the sealing rings liil, 5l, in the lower packing device. Piston-members 56 which force lubricant from cylinders 58 to the packing devices, and valve 64, produce a metered, continuous feed of lubricant to the packing devices during the operation of the swivel, to keep the contacting surfaces between packings 49 and 50 continuously lubricated. When the supply of lubricant in cylinders 58 has been exhausted, it may be replenished by forcing lubricant through fittings 5'!ad into cylinders 58.

During a drilling operation, the wash-fluid delivered into gooseneck 26 will flow through tube 38 into the rotatable stem Iii and to the drill pipe. The packing devices prevent the escape of fluid at the junctures of tube 38 with gooseneck 25 and stem I U. Tube 38, the ends of which contact with the lubricated rings 49 and 50 in the packingr device on the non-rotatable gooseneck, and the lubricated rings 49 and 50 in the packing device which rotates with stem I0, will be floating or free to remain stationary with gooseneck 216, or rotate with stem lll, or rotatably slip relatively to both packing devices. This distributes the wear on the contact surfaces between tube 38 and the sealing rings, and tube 38 is free to position itself within the sealing rings to compensate for axial misalignment of the gooseneck 26 and stem Ill while Vmaintaining the fluid seals. When for any purpose it is desired to remove tube 38 for repair or replacement of the packing devices, or the sealing rings, it is only necessary to unscrew collars 4!) from gooseneck 26 and from stern I0 and move the packing devices together, and disconnect pipe 61 from the collar 40 of the upper packing device. Tube 38 and the packing devices can then be unitarily removed laterally from the space between gooseneck 2B and stem I0. This may be done while the gocseneck remains secured to bonnet 2l), and stem l0 remains journalled in casing I6, and greatly facilitates the removal and replacement of tube 38 and the packing assemblies. When the tube and packing assemblies have been thus removed, the packing assemblies may be readily slipped off the ends of the tube, for repair or replacement of their parts. In replacing the tube and packing devices, the assembled tube 38 and the packing devices may be laterally inserted between gooseneck 26 and stem IU, and the couwash-liquid flowing through the swivel for providing the pressure for forcing the lubricant from a reservoir to the sealing devices; meters the lubricant delivered to the sealing devices; can be Y easily loaded with lubricant through fittings connected to the reservoir; can be advantageously used with a demountable oating and endwise reversible tube interposed between the gooseneck and the rotatable stem; and efficiently lubrcates the sealing means for minimizing wear of the parts.

The invention is not to be understood as limited to the details described, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The combination with a hydraulic swivel, comprising non-rotatable and rotatable uid conducting elements, and a rotatable tube between said elements, of packing devices between the ends of the tube and said elements, respectively, each including a collar provided with means for detachably connecting it to one of the elements, a plurality of sealing ringsn each collar, a lubrcant distributing ring in each collar between the packing rings and provided with ports, a gland in each collar for seating the distributing ring in .the collar, the rotatable tube being provided with ports for delivering lubricant from one packing device to the other, and means for delivering lubricant under pressure through one of the collars to the distributing ring therein.

. LESLIE W. STAHL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,830,440 Morgan Nov. 3, 1931 2,629,631 Morgan et al. Feb. 4, 1936 2,150,529 Tremolada Mar. 14, 1939 2,265,449 Raynolds Dec. `9, 1941 2,459,472 Tremolada Jan. 18, 1949 

